"Community Care Closet"

May 2021, Rolvaag Memorial Library at St. Olaf College

Clothing rack, hanging organizer, found fabric, vinyl playsuits, zines, art supplies

Community care is a practice that requires intentionality; we must “put it on” every day, just like we do clothes. In this installation, I aim to create a space for my community, to both learn from and teach each other. Using the concept of a closet to encourage exploration of the personal daily habits of community care, I designed and sewed two outfits that house a revolving community zine library and zine-making materials. I encouraged viewers to consider the questions: “What does my community need to know? What can I learn from my community?” as they read zines made by members of their community, and created their own zines using provided materials.

Through clothing made of clear vinyl, I comment on the necessity of transparency and accessibility in all community care practices. This work is situated in my college’s library, a place in which more knowledge is consumed than created. By creating their own zines, viewers work to tip that balance by contributing their own knowledge to the piece. Through validating the wisdom that exists within our community, we can begin to challenge the hierarchies that uphold Western academic knowledge production as absolute and universal.

Community care is a radical concept in a capitalist society, especially within a private college that rewards individualism. Through creating a space for my fellow St. Olaf community members to read the ideas of others, and share their own thoughts, I invite them to challenge these individualistic beliefs. Instead, we can put community care “on” and think about what we need to learn from our community, and what we have to share with it. Nobody takes better care of our community than us:)

This installation is currently on display until May 23rd, 2021. Additional documentation will be added as more people interact with it:)